Closed Distilleries

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:50 am

I've done a quick search on this in the forum and could not really find any one place where this is covered. I may have missed but feel free to set me straight.

Now to the question. I looking to start trying some whiskies from closed/mothballed distilleries. Banff & Glen Keith spring to mind. I would firstly like to be able to spend less than say £80stg (the cheaper the better :wink:

) on a bottle if possible and secondly your recomendations and tasting notes if possible. Cheers guys

By the way feel free to talk about rare and expensive stuff too.. I just probably won't buy it :lol:

by **bamber** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:16 pm

Glenugie, Brora and Rosebank are distilleries that have produced whisky that I've very much enjoyed.

by **les taylor** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:57 pm

Littlemill closed 1994 the still house is still intact you can get 12 year old for £22.50 P.s My oogling arrived this morning well worth the wait. Thankyou.

by **Deactivated Member** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:48 pm

I believe the remains of Littlemill burned last fall, didn't it?

In the U.S., probably the most famed whiskey distilleries no longer in service are/were Michter's (PennCo) in Pennsylvania, the makers of what became A.H. Hirsch bourbons; and Stitzel-Weller in Louisville, KY, which made Old Fitzgerald, W.L. Weller, Cabin Still, Rebel Yell, et all (those labels survive under different ownership -- the distillery was mothballed in 1992).
I've been lucky enough to taste/select some barrels from the last distilling season of Stitzel-Weller (Spring 1992), so have a personal stock. Some of the more exotic, older labels bring uber-$500 prices at auction (mostly eBay).

by **Frodo** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:36 pm

I'm thinking Rosebank and Imperial for a couple of cheepies...

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:13 pm

Thanks CI for the link just what I was looking for. Will give it a proper read at some stage. Keep you suggestions comming.

I'll be visitng Cadenhead in Amsterdam in the end of July so hope they might have a few of these. I hear references to Brora regularly are4 thses bottlings expensive??

by **Deactivated Member** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 6:22 am

IWC,
I seem to recall that there is also a full list in the discussion about which companies own which distilleries.
All closed / mothballed / destroyed distilleries were noted as such in there.

MT

by **Bullie** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:17 pm

Here is a full list of all active and inactive distilleries, divided into different regions: http://www.uisge.se/distilleries.html[/url]

by **Bullie** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:26 pm

And here is the mothballed/closed/demolished ones (The list includes the ones that you still might find bottles from):

Destillerier Speyside, Inaktiva:
Banff 1983 Demolished
Braes of Glenlivet / Braeval 2002 Mothballed
Caperdonich 2002 Mothballed
Coleburn 1985 Closed
Convalmore 1985 Closed
Dallas Dhu 1983 Closed (Nowadays a museum)
Glen Keith / Glenisla 1999 Mothballed
Glencraig 1980-talet Closed
Glenglassaugh 1986 Mothballed
Imperial 1998 Mothballed
Mosstowie 1981 Closed
Pittyvaich 1993 Demolished
Tamnavulin 1995 Mothballed

Highland Inactive:
Ben Wyvis 1977 Demolished
Brora 1983 Closed
Glen Albyn 1983 Closed
Glen Mhor 1983 Demolished
Glenlochy 1983 Closed
Glenugie 1983 Closed
Glenury Royal 1985 Closed
Hillside / Glenesk 1985 Closed
Lochside 1992 Closed
Millburn 1985 Closed
North Port / Brechin 1983 Closed

Lowland Inactive:
Glen Flagler 1985 Closed
Inverleven / Lomond 1991 Demolished
Killyloch 1985 Demolished
Kinclaith 1975 Closed
Ladyburn 1970 Closed
Littlemill / Dunglass / Dunback 1994 Burnt down/Demolished
Rosebank 1993 Closed (Nowadays a restaurant)
Saint Magdalene / Linlithgow 1983 Demolished (Partly reconstructed into apartments)

Islay Inactive:
Port Ellen 1983 Closed (Rebuilt into offices, stills now active in India)

by **Lawrence** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:14 pm

Islay Inactive:
Port Ellen 1983 Closed (Rebuilt into offices, stills now active in India)

Does this mean we can buy an Indian Port Ellen soon?

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:28 pm

That list is excellent Bullie..... Is there any distilleries that I should stay away from and does anybody know if Cadenhead do many closed distillery bottlings.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:44 pm

I think many of these distilleries produced mainly for the low end blend market - they may not have had much consistency of style or quality. If you are buying to drink, you probably ought to take advice on the specific bottling. Needless to say, the more expensive a bottle, the greater chance that it would not be a cost-effective drink!

Cadenheads does have a fair few bottles from closed distilleries - at no obvious mark up. They do (did?) an excellent Pittyvaich.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:52 pm

Cheers Nick, I'm Buying to drink and will be visiting Cadenheads shop in amsterdam at the end of the month. It is a bit of an adventure for me as I have never bought an Indepent bottling of scotch of any sort and I don't think I've even had a dram from a closed Scottish distillery. So all in all very exciting as I still don't know what I'll end up with.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:01 pm

You should be able to get an inexpensive Lochside or Rosebank, which are both worth drinking. North Port is more expensive, but some of the C bottlings are not bad for a pretty dodgy distillery. I've not tried their Littlemill - it shouldn't be expensive but OBs are cheaper and not too bad right now. I have had a C Imperial that was very sulphured. They did a v good 8yo Braes of Glenlivet but apparently their 10yo and 12 yo are not as spectacular. The Glen Craig is good but quite expensive.

I think Tamnavulin still hopes to reopen. There is a lot of their OB around in Scotland at the moment - think Tesco and Vicky Wine.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:32 pm

Okay done a bit of research ....

Cadenhead Amsterdam have the following which I am looking at ... short list below including shop tasting notes

All Closed Distilleries and Cadenhead bottlings

Banff 1976 27yo Nose: Fruity-sweet. Coconut marshmallow with a hint of sweet oakiness and obvious vanilla.
Palate: Spicy-sweet, which was unexpected - nutmeg. Quite dry especially in the finish. Very tasty indeed. A distinct lack of oak considering its age. 137.00

Caperdonich 1977 24yo Nose: Heavy sherry flavours. Sweet oak. Nutmeg and liquorice. Palate: Soft icing sugar at first with some delicious marzipan. Oak and nut flavours in the finish 87.00

Convalmore 1977 26yo Nose: Bursting with marzipan and coconut flavours. Macaroon. Soft, but sweet. Palate: More coconut and vanilla with an incredible Amaretto aftertaste. At the lower strength it is still a stunner! 96.00

Imperial 1977 24yo Nose: Immediate butterscotch flavours. Hints of Mead wine and surprisingly coconut. Malty, milk chocolate flavours. Very complex and frech for its age.
Palate: Honey and spice is followed by cereal notes and a buttery finish. With a little water this one opens up nicely. 109.00

Lochside 1981 24yo Nose: Fresh sea air and dunnage warehouse smells. Palate: Excellent,rich lots of flavour and character with a spicy tang. 112.00

North Port 1976 20yo Nose: Freshly mown grass. Palate: Fresh on the tongue and strong in flavour even with the addition of water. Slightly smoky texture which dissipates quickly. 76.00

Comments appreciated.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:55 pm

You can also get Cadenheads products at http://www.coventgardenwhiskyshop.co.uk/ - the Amsterdam prices look fair, but you can get a bigger range with some cheaper bottlings from the London shop. They are willing to send through the post if you give them a ring.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:07 pm

Cheers Nick much appreciated... it's just I'll be in Amsterdam so I want the pleasure of going into the shop and talking to the guys inside and examining the bottles and might even get a tste if I'm luck of one or two that they have open. I'll be like a kid in a sweet shop and I'll be buying others of course, I have 4 Irish pre-ordered already, I hope the suit case can take it :roll:

. I think the prices are fairly close as the Amsterdam prices are in Euro's.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:22 pm

In the good old days, it cost the same to send post within the UK as it cost to send it anywhere in the EU. Whenever I lived in Belfast, I could never understand why it cost more to send a letter 100 miles south to Dublin than it cost to send my crossword entries 350 miles across the water to London.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:43 am

C_I wrote:IWC, I have to remind you.. Officially it is not allowed to serve drinks in a shop. So basically, no tasting.....

As for shipping, I think it is cheaper to ship the bottles from Holland to Ireland rather than from the UK to Ireland (I know, it sounds weird..)

Oh Bummer

at least I have the bottles to look forward to :lol:

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:45 am

Nick Brown wrote:In the good old days, it cost the same to send post within the UK as it cost to send it anywhere in the EU. Whenever I lived in Belfast, I could never understand why it cost more to send a letter 100 miles south to Dublin than it cost to send my crossword entries 350 miles across the water to London.

I know it was the same here even though I still think it is the same price for me to Post to Dublin as Belfast which is something at least.